Costa Rica 2017

For your reports/images, made outside Europe and the "Mediterranean" countries. Not to be too narrow minded and limited to our European/Mediterranean herps.

Costa Rica 2017

Postby Pablo Deschepper » Wed Jul 05, 2017 6:12 pm

Last januari I was in Costa Rica for the second time. I was there in 2016 too and the place is just so full of herps and amazing people, rainforests etc.. that I just had to go back. It's a country you get easily addicted to and I know I will go back in the future. I am not that good of a writer so I will show you guys some pictures of the encountered herps and add a word here and there. Hope you enjoy them!


Some frogs we have seen:

Isthmohyla pseudopuma, in a cloud forest near Bajos del Toro
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Craugaster podificerus
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Agalychnis spurrelli
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Graugaster spec. in a cloud forest near Cerro Chirripo
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Craugaster spec. near Dominical
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Cochranella albomaculata
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Agalychnis callidryas
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Little frog juvenile
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Hyalinobatrachium valerioi
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the snakes:

Sibon annulatus
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Bothriechis schlegelii (oropel phase)
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Bothriechis schlegelii
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Lampropeltis triangulum gaigeae near Cerro Chirripo
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Boa constrictor
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Bothriechis supraciliaris! Very happy with this one since they have a reputation to be hard to find. Such a beautiful snake.
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One of the many Bothrops asper
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Oxyrhopus petolarius
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Crotalus simus... No words needed...well maybe some. We found this snake while road cruising a small (but hardened) road in Puntarenas province. Lots of people were out on the street, biking, walking.. All were visiting family and friends and daytime was too hot for a lot of activity. We were giving up our hopes since we estimated our changes to see a road crossing rattlesnake to be pretty small with all these people around. Then suddenly, there it was, a decent sized rattlesnake started crossing the road. We immediately stopped the car, jumped out with our hooks and got it of the road since a big truck was rapidly approaching the snake from the opposite direction. We managed to get the snake of the road pretty quickly but the truck stopped and 5 guys got out of the truck signalling us to put the snake in front of the trucks tires and they would then drive over the snake.. Off course we could not let this happen and I got back to the car and looked for something to bag the snake,..my sleeping bag pouch seemed to be the best I could find and I hurried back to the snake. In the meantime more people stopped to take a look and were taking some pictures from a distance. They had a good laugh and declared us to be insance multiple times, but we managed to get the snake in the bag, in the car and released it not that far from where we caught it, but in a safer place (from the snakes perspective). What surprised me, the snake did not even rattle once.
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Another top list species, Lachesis stenophrys
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a rare snake we were lucky to encounter while eating a frog, Notopsis rugosus (near Puerto Viejo)
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Porthidium nasutum
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Another small bushmaster we encountered during daytime. Very relaxed snakes.
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some lizards:

Corytophanes cristatus
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Sceloporus malachitus
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other stuff:

A view from the beach at Manzanillo NP
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A royal tern
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A raccoon feeding on a smelly noni fruit
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A bird from the cloud forests near San Gerardo de Dota, the collared redstart
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The beautiful speckled tanager
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the female of the red headed barbet
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The Mexican tree porcupine
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The grey-tailed mountain gem
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Cheers,
Pablo
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Guillaume Gomard » Wed Jul 05, 2017 6:28 pm

:shock: I don't know how long you stayed there, but finding 2 bushmasters, 1 Boa, 1 supraciliaris, 1 C. simus and 1 Notopsis, etc., is an amazing result. On top of that your pictures are excellent. May I ask where you found the Lachesis? Did you find everything on your own, or with the help of some local guys?

P.S: Well done for the Crotalus!
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Robin Duborget » Wed Jul 05, 2017 7:05 pm

Ah Costa Rica, what a beautiful country !
I missed Agalychnis spurrelli last year, where did you found them ?

Robin
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Niklas Ban » Wed Jul 05, 2017 7:54 pm

Lovely gallery!
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Pablo Deschepper » Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:49 pm

Guillaume Gomard wrote::shock: I don't know how long you stayed there, but finding 2 bushmasters, 1 Boa, 1 supraciliaris, 1 C. simus and 1 Notopsis, etc., is an amazing result. On top of that your pictures are excellent. May I ask where you found the Lachesis? Did you find everything on your own, or with the help of some local guys?

P.S: Well done for the Crotalus!


We stayed there for a month, travelling from one area to another. Last year we met some Costa Rican herpers and they joined us for a couple of days or gave some hints for good locations. This year, we contacted them again and made some new herping friends too. Once you're at the good spot its just a matter of luck and spending lots of time looking for snakes etc. We found all the species you mentioned alone (but got tips for the right spots off course). We found both Lachesis near Puerto Viejo, I can pm you more details if you want.
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Pablo Deschepper » Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:51 pm

Robin Duborget wrote:Ah Costa Rica, what a beautiful country !
I missed Agalychnis spurrelli last year, where did you found them ?

Robin


We found them near Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo NP and near Londres I think. Very cool to see them glide through the air too :D
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Frédéric Seyffarth » Thu Jul 06, 2017 6:57 am

Impressive list of discoveries, so much rare species, and so much great pictures...Congrats for your amazing finds!
Thanks for sharing, it makes me dream ;)
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Matthieu Berroneau » Fri Jul 07, 2017 11:16 pm

I have no words, amazing results! :shock:
Congrats!
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Jeroen Speybroeck » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:48 am

Frédéric Seyffarth wrote:Thanks for sharing, it makes me dream ;)


It does indeed!
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Re: Costa Rica 2017

Postby Kevin Esser » Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:27 pm

Amazing list of species and stunning photography!

I always wanted to see Notopsis rugosus... no luck yet.
One of many reasons to return to Costa Rica!
Looking at your picture of N. rugosus with prey makes me quite envious :D
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